Vital Link
by Kuro kaen
Summary: An intense, dark story where Kai is plunged into a parallel world to save his own from the ravages of a powerful bit beast out of control! How will he cope with mad cuckoos, sword fights and an ultimate show down with Tyson! LoZ and beyblade crossover
1. Chapter 1

YO! People! This is actually quite an old story that I stopped doing a while ago…but I'm gonna post it just for you! Aren't I nice? And so you can give me some ideas on how its gonna progress…would be helpful ;p

The town has been rebuilt after the battle with Brooklyn and Tyson. This is set after G Revolutions saga and takes place in the very final battle of Tyson against Kai in the very last episode that has no real ending. (Daichi has bogged off somewhere to train)

**The end of an era. **

Kai was breathing hard, dark energy still pulsing through him. Battered and bruised he wiped blood from his cheek and looked up. Tyson stood opposite him, pony tailed blue hair whipping about him, a mane in the wind. But this wasn't the Tyson he had ever battled before. After Boris had disappeared Tyson had nothing to fight for; no friends in trouble, no world to save and without this pressure on him Tyson was failing… Kai had always fought for himself while Tyson fought for others …now no others were there. They were both alone by the river, near the bridge; painted gold by the dying sun. The ground around them was a turtles back of craters and ridges the grass singed by the summer heat and relentless Bey-battle. Even now, in the lull, kai could hear the drone of his beyblade whirring on a high mound of dirt. Kai listened. A car passed on the road, blood pounded through his head, heart racing.

He could feel it. The power of Dranzer like a calmly burning flame within him telling him what to do, telling him he was going to win! _For once_ kai thought _I am going to do this, Tyson has nothing left!_ With a yell of effort he summoned dranzer. The phoenix burst out of his blade with an explosion of fire, the world was a blur of red. Kai charged. Sensing an on coming thrust of energy he dived side ways. Tyson's fist whipped past him, their blades mirroring the movement a few feet away. He allowed his momentum to carry him forward into a roll and skidded round into a predator like crouch, ready and waiting for Tyson as he twisted back round for another assault. Tyson's movements appeared to be fast and accurate, as he continued the fight, and to any onlooker, Kai was lucky to dodge them. But both of the competitors knew who really had the upper hand. Tyson was running out of energy fast, the taste of near defeat a bitter cocktail with the blood in his mouth.

He hated losing like this, it seemed so unfair, kai must have cheated, some how, he told himself kai had played foul. He, Tyson had always won… no matter how hard it had been he had always been able to come through. He clenched his fist in fury. But now things had changed. The limitless energy normally coursing through his veins had vanished, only to be replaced with a self centred anger. He shouldn't be losing this! With a cry he summoned Dragoon ready for another attack, His anger getting the better of him, clouding his thoughts, seeing only red. Phoenix and dragon faced one and other. Tyson and Kai stared each other down. Each face hidden in locks of blue or silver as a cold wind rose. Separate thoughts raced through either mind waiting for the other to make their move. The scene froze for a fraction of a second. Tyson charged first, whipping up a vicious whirlwind racing towards his opponent; wind pounded in his ears drowning out his shout. Kai reacted quickly. Flinging his arms out in front of him he created a shield of fire trying to stave off the howling gale. Tyson clawed his way forward, desperate to break through. The wall of flames buckled. Kai roared in frustration. The wind slowly brought him to his knees, braced against the dirt. Bruised clouds had mustered on the horizon. Tyson still had power left. Relenting he leapt into the sky for an aerial assault. A vindictive pleasure exploded through his veins. Coming down from above he had gravity on his side. Using this to his advantage he slowly crushed kais shield into the ground. This new alien feeling of pure power coaxed him on. The ill weather crept forwards. The sunset had faded. Dark clouds converged. A once peached sky had turned a deep iron grey…

Tyson's power seemed to swell as the weather deteriorated. Finally lightning tore the black sky open and a torrent of rain unleashed. The halo of fiery brightness rapidly diminishing in the darkness as kai was pushed further in to the ground that was quickly becoming churned up mud. Every part of his soaking body strained with the effort. Determined not to lose again he braced on his hands and knees the weight of the wind pushed down on him. Images of all the battles he had lost flickered through his mind. His hand slipped in the mud _No!_ Kai clung on, muscles tensed to breaking point. He tried to force himself back up onto his feet. His limbs wouldn't obey. Blinded and numbed by the freezing rain and high winds whipping about him he suddenly realized that he was never going to win like this. The pressure increased. Kai screamed. Above him, muffled by the wind and storm he heard, even as his arms gave way, the sound of laughter piercing shrill through the elements at war around him. Kais body froze rigid in shock the fraction of a second remaining to him filled with shock and anger. Tyson laughing…at him? Kais body gave in. The combined force of fire and wind crashed down. The fire wielder lost consciousness, plummeting into cold depths of darkness.

Leagues into the sky, teetering on the peak of a black mountain, hidden by thick mists and ferocious blizzards, a castle perched like an ominous dark bat. Its ancient crags disguised as the rock itself. Not that any one would be mad enough to come to this part of Russia in the deep of winter. Inside the rooms were lavishly furnished with the finest technology and rarest antiques in a bizarre combo of top of the range, wide screen TV's and priceless Ming vases. Famous and grotesque pictures adorned the walls in every well lit, warm and spacious room. Voltaire sat comfortably in a huge, high backed throne, surveying with icy distaste, the man quivering with excitement in front of him.

Boris had never actually been sent to jail, despite his bid for world domination, he had escaped and managed to earn some redemption in the eyes of the law by attempting to start up BEGA. Although this had failed thanks to the blade breakers, he was never the less willing to carry out his masters plans. Voltaire had made some shady deals and pulled a few strings to avoid a similar fate and was now more dangerous than ever as the world believed him vanquished. Scheming and planning forever going on in the sharp mans mind, he had discovered an interesting invention that had caught his eye while monitoring his grandsons team in their second season (V-Force). He was finally about to hear results of his operation, although he seriously doubted the success rate since Boris was heading the engineers, but the multi millionaire knew the purple haired man had unwavering loyalty. A useful quality to have in this line of work, as any leak in information would have been disastrous. His patience was (for once) rewarded as Boris told him that the engineers had done it and the agent had been inserted successfully at the other end of Tyson's town. No one had noticed a thing. _Not that they would, foolish idiots, even when the danger is right on top of them._ He smiled smugly to himself. This part had been implemented; the plan could not possibly fail; now all they needed was Tyson... _Betrayal is the worst feeling when it happens to you..._ Knowing this from bitter experience Voltaire had used it as a weapon. The blade breakers would never bother him again, broken up from within. The old man felt no remorse as he thought of his grandson and the fate that awaited him.

The drenched ground shook and rumbled as a great crater was split open by the energy of the combined attack from dragoon and collapse of Kai's shield. Grey torrents of water gushed into it from the river, swollen by the downpour. Tyson leapt down from the tornado, which vanished as he approached the pit. His Beyblade spun quietly beside him as he surveyed the crater, filling relentlessly with murky restless water. The thunder and lightning had ceased. Only the incessant rain continued to fall, creating a misty circle of vision in the already darkened world.

Tyson turned to leave. Normally he would have rushed to help his team mate, but something stopped him. He couldn't bring himself to play the hero again. Anyway Kai would have scorned him for being a fool to think he couldn't handle the situation by himself. Feeling the strange vindictive pleasure surge through him again Tyson continued to walk away. Kai wasn't his problem anymore. The water bubbled; spinning round furiously in its new outlet forming a miniature whirlpool. He watched it for a few seconds over his shoulder, worry now starting to sink in. Suddenly the pool was lit up in a fantastic rich orange glow. Tyson gasped in disbelief; turning to face the water again he called for dragoon to dive straight into it, hoping to catch Kai and Dranzer before they came up. The White blade was swallowed up in the crater now sloshing its dark liquid over the bank. Tyson waited. Seconds passed. The water continued to shine…

Kai was at the bottom of the pool semi conscious in the swirl of utter blackness and shadows of shapes that surrounded him. The water was freezing but Kai didn't feel the cold. He should have been desperate for air, but he was too tired to notice. In a dream like state he had watched through a haze as something broke the surface above him. Dragoon struck down into the floor throwing up a billow of soil in the water around; it was swept away by the twisting current. The Bey-blade spun slowly on the bottom as though weighed down by a tremendous power. Kai suddenly felt a surge of anger towards it and its master. He sensed Dranzer beside him beginning to blaze. He let the anger go. A brilliant light erupted from it. The water fizzled and bubbled furiously. Every thing was lit up in an eerie red colour. Kai saw clearly beyond the debris swirling dizzily round him to the walls of the crater bathed in a surreal glow. He commanded Dranzer to attack and in a burst of bubbles both blades were gone. Kai smiled to himself. He had finally done it!

Back on the surface a small shape flew suddenly out of the shimmering mass, a white speeding bullet. It shot past leaving its mark, a small slash on Tyson's ear. Dragoon clattered down next to him defeated. He stared at it. Covered in the smelly contents of the rivers bed it camouflaged almost perfectly with the boggy ground around him now being spattered with light drizzle. The dark clouds thinned. Tyson continued to stare silently at his Blade. In his shock he had not realized that Kai hadn't emerged from the pool. Nor did he turn as a hideously familiar figure loomed behind him…


	2. Chapter 2

**Race for Kai**

Hilary, Ray and Max pounded through the sodden streets. All knew it had been no ordinary storm that had appeared so suddenly. The clouds had now melted away leaving a distinctly chilly but clear summer night. They splashed swiftly through silver puddles dotting the pavement, reflecting and distorting the starry night sky and pearl moon that had risen. Breath rose in mist as the three panted to a halt, gazes falling to the lone figure plodding towards them from the end of the road. The boy stopped under a dreary street lamp. Hilary gasped. Tyson was white as a sheet, face gaunt, covered in a collection of bruises and cuts, eyes strangely darkened as though he had seen horrific things that he would never forget, midnight blue hair plastered wet to his face. "Tyson!" max started, Ray cut across him, amber eyes alight with worry "-where's Kai?" Tyson looked up swaying on the spot suddenly, looking exhausted from his battle. Max reached out to steady him. He leapt back as though he had been scalded. "Tyson you're freezing!" He exclaimed as Hilary stepped forward briskly and embraced him muttering, highly embarrassed that he shouldn't let himself get this cold and she was doing it solely for the purpose of warming him up. Tyson ignored her and carried on gazing bemused at Ray "Kai?" he murmured as though trying to remember. Hilary backed off. Silence settled for a few moments. The foliage in near by gardens dripped noisily to break it as an icy breeze passed down the avenue. Max, ray and Hilary shivered partly with cold but also the gut feeling of unease .The thought that something had gone horribly wrong flitted through each mind. "The river" Tyson spoke quietly "he fell in the river"

"WHAT?" Ray cried the colour draining from his face as he asked furiously "Didn't you try and get him out? Where did he fall in? Why did you leave him!" His last question was answered with a horrible grimace from the raven blue haired teen "because I lost" Tyson replied and began to walk on up the pavement. None of the others stopped him. Frozen with horror they could only stare as the one they thought was their best friend was swallowed in darkness having just left his team mate to drown. Ray snapped out of it first "we've got to…find Kai…" He said slowly his voice shaking with shock. They all turned and sprinted off silently towards the river.

It was late when they arrived. The sky, a velvety blue, was strewn with moon and stars gazing cold and indifferent at the plight of the three friends. All were now franticly searching the bank and scanning the still bloated river. "This is useless!" max conceded after a few fruitless minutes. Ray was forced to agree with him "Yeah, we would have seen him by now if he was around here. Maybe he got dragged down stream?" They were both interrupted in their musings when a panicked shout broke out "Oh my god! RAY? MAX! Come quickly!" They saw the silhouette of Hilary beckoning them wildly from down the bank and ran to her. She was crouched down sobbing by a very out of place pool that had some how formed from the rivers current. "It's K-Kai…" she managed to choke through her tears. Max and Ray stared thunderstruck at the pool separate from the river now the waters had receded. It was as though the liquid had turned to glass. They saw clearly the body of their old team mate who looked as though he had been carved from ice half floating, drifting grotesquely amongst the debris, pale against the dark bottom of compressed soil.

"We've got to get him out" Max whispered after a few moments a sickened, feverish feeling had settled like lead in his stomach, a churning mixture of anger and sorrow. Without allowing himself a second thought he approached the pool and began to wade in, sending shockwaves of ripples through the ghostly transparent surface. The freezing liquid weighed down his immersed shoes. The sides of the crater were steep. He slipped and was forced to dive straight into the centre. The relentless chill swept through him _how could anyone survive long in this?_ Max thought desperately, trying to fight the tremendous urge to surface for air. He opened his eyes. Kai was right below him, eyes open and glazed... watching. He yelled in fright, an explosion of bubbles obscured his view. Terrified he swam back up to the surface "you okay?" Ray asked, worried. Max nodded shaking water from his vibrant blond hair, trying to regain his breath in the intense cold that was pushing it from his chest. He steeled himself and dived down again grabbing Kais wrist he tried to tug him towards the edge, avoiding the glazed gaze of his once proud but stoic friend. Kai was heavy and too late Max realized that he couldn't do it in one breath. He tried to let go but his muscles had frozen solid. His numbed hand couldn't let go. Max panicked, he had sunk to the bottom, the sticks and rubbish brushing creepily against his freezing skin. The water seemed so much colder here. He felt his heart beat thundering through his head. He needed AIR! He reached desperately up for the surface. Suddenly hands plunged into the water and grabbed his. Hilary and Ray hauled them both sopping wet and freezing from the water. "God… don't scare me like that again" Hilary exclaimed hugging the sopping wet max using the excuse that she was only warming him up once more. After his teeth had stopped chattering all three stood side by side gazing at Kai as he lay prone on the ground. "We've got to do something" Ray spoke at last "but… what can we do? He's been in there for at least an hour" Max trailed off. They stood in absolute quiet for a matter of minutes. All in shock that he was never coming back. Silent tears flowed freely from the trios eyes. Hilary couldn't believe it. He was dead. Gone, he would never be there again. The proud yet dependable presence of Kai she had grown so accustomed to had vanished, his body only a shell. The thing that hurt Hilary the most was that she never even got the chance to say good bye… Her mournful howling reached a peak and she flung herself down onto Kai locking her arms around his stiff white body she hugged him tightly laying her head beside his on the soaking, muddy ground. She wept harder than she had ever thought possible. Eventually Max and Ray had to prise her off him out of dignity, still wiping their eyes.

Voltaire smiled as he received yet more "good news" his grandson had just passed away. And Tyson was now out of the way. The operation was initiating phase two. No one could stop it now. One down, four to go he wasn't forgetting Hilary and Kenny. No one messed with Voltaire and got away with it. Not even family. He would have thought Kai would have known that after what happened to his parents. Still, some people never learned. Voltaire laced his fingers together, content. His little pawn among the blade breakers was doing his job quickly. No one had even suspected until now. Of course it would get harder and harder to pick the rest off. Still, Voltaire had managed to take out the two strongest the rest would die anyway... He was simply speeding up the natural process.

As she let go of him Hilary's hand brushed against Kais. She gasped. It felt… warm! The rest of his body was cold, frozen, but his hand. There was something in it. She gently twisted it lose. Dranzer. One last jolt of hope leapt through Hilary. "Ray give me your launcher" she said sharply, grabbing it as soon as she could she clicked Dranzer into place. Taken aback by her sudden change of manner Ray and Max didn't realize until Hilary stood, legs a shoulder width apart for balance and the launcher and ripcord firmly in her hands ready to fire, what she had found. Dranzer glinted at them from under the launcher. Simultaneously gaping they both stepped back. All remembered vividly the disastrous results of Hilary's last encounter with a Beyblade. Seconds passed. The world waited. Hilary glanced at them. Ray and max now stared solidly in return, faces set, ready for any thing. Hilary took a deep breath. It all depended on her. She tensed. Images of Kai flashed through her mind, whatever he had won, whenever he had lost Kai had always kept his feelings to himself but that was what drew her to him, mysterious and quiet but a fierce warrior and friend when the time arose but always thinking for himself not just following Tyson like the others. _Tyson _Hilary thought; his face shimmered before her in her minds eye, gloating and argumentative. _How could he have done this! _She thought suddenly filled with such fury she could hardly contain it. In an instant she understood how Kai had felt all these years, always dwarfed by Tyson, always out of the spot light, never getting the glory…The pent up rage erupted, barely realizing what she was doing Hilary launched the blade with a cry that echoed into the night "GO DRANZER!" A white light eclipsed the river bank exploding from Dranzer with such force it swept all three off their feet.

Max had been freezing cold, so cold he felt as if the entire world had slowed right down, his senses were one eternal haze of hopelessness and confusion. Shivering wracked his entire body. The hug from Hilary had done little to warm him up. He had been ecstatic when he felt her arms around him clasping him tight to her body; he had relaxed completely until she pulled away. Then the chill and utter despair had surged over him again leaving him in a colder world than before. Who was he kidding? He had no chance with Hilary...she was smitten with Kai, or Tyson, take your pick. They were both so much better than him. Another wave of insecurity struck the usually cheerful blond. He was on the verge of giving up hope all together. But now the warmth from the light spread through him giving him strength; and he felt another presence, through the light… Kai…He was there, his essence, calm, sensible. And underneath all that, the anger: hidden but always present towards his enemies. And when he chose to unleash it…unstoppable. Max breathed deeply. He wasn't about to throw in the towel yet!

Hilary felt as if she were falling in slow motion, blinded by the bright light she closed her eyes and hit the ground. It felt soft. A warm sensation gradually spread through her body as though a blanket had been placed round her. A gentle humming teased the air soothing her panic. She lost all sense of time. This tranquil state holding her for what seemed like forever but when it ended, only a second. The bright light steadily faded, and with it her senses returned.

The girl found herself staring at the stars, lying on freezing, wet mud. The night seemed twice as cold as before. She shivered and sat up. A horrible sound reached her ears. Someone was throwing up. She stood up feeling wobbly. _Kai!_ Hilary suddenly remembered. Her limbs regained feeling and she rushed over to where a figure was writhing on the ground. Max and Ray were already there.

Kai lay sprawled on his side, his eyes wide open, pupils contracted, inhumanly small, staring unseeingly. Gasping and convulsing with every movement his body twisted grotesquely, muscles twitching, the cuts and bruises sustained in the battle standing out, dark welts on his skin. Tearing open again the fresh wounds bled crimson rivers down his pearly flesh as it rippled and spasmed, beaded with crystal droplets of sweat and water. "Oh… my… god…" Ray had never seen any thing like it, he felt sick. OK, Kai was alive great! But…how? And would he survive?

Once when Mariah had been bitten by a snake in the White Tiger Hills and had had to be air lifted to hospital because of the poison, she had never looked like this. When the doctors had said her situation was critical she never bled from old wounds. What the hell was this? A disease? Ray didn't know weather it was possible to survive it, if there was a cure. He shuddered. _Whatever is going on_ _we have to do something! _He fought back the nausea, the immense relieve coupled with confusion that he had felt when he had realized Kai was alive, fading fast. Kneeling down Ray put his hand on Kai's shoulder. Speaking as clearly as he could he asked him his name, voice holding an ill hidden tremor of fear. Kai didn't respond but continued to shiver and shake. Quite suddenly Ray had to dive out of the way as he threw up again, spewing out black river water and small debris onto the mud. He heard Hilary make a repulsed noise behind him as Kai lay semi conscious in his own vomit.

_We need to get him home_ Ray thought desperately, grabbing his team mate's arm and attempting to haul him onto his feet, _they'll know what to do …some one has to know what to do!_ But as Max and Hilary came to his aid, Ray realized with panicked horror, that they didn't have a home to go to. His was in white tiger hills, miles away on a different continent, Max's was in a different town and Hilary's was on the other side of this one. The closest one by far was Tyson's, which was where they had come, from. But Ray didn't know weather any of them, especially Kai, could face seeing their former friend again so soon. They struggled to heave Kai upright. They managed to bring him onto his knees and stood supporting him while Ray explained the dilemma. At the end they all stood in silence thinking deeply. They really had no choice.

After a few hopeless moments of this Ray suddenly noticed that Kai had stopped moving. He now lay still in their arms, eyes half shut. Ray panicked yelling "Kai! Kai!" With a stupendous effort he pulled the older boy up onto his feet. With the others supporting him under the arms Ray shook him gently by the shoulders. Kais glazed eyes fluttered open; lashes sparkling with moisture. With a strange jolt in his stomach Ray realized it was tears… _He's crying!_. "Kai…" Ray murmured quietly backing off slightly giving him the choice to stand if he felt able. "Thanks" Kai said huskily, struggling to get on to his feet. Hilary and Max gasped as he pulled free from them and stood by him self, swaying slightly but unassisted none the less. "Thanks…" he repeated again "all three of you… I owe you my-" he broke off suddenly staring into space just above their heads. The trio instinctively turned. No one was there. They all whipped back round as Kai doubled over and puked up yet more of the foul black water. There was silence as Kai stared horrified at the dark, bitty liquid on the ground "life" he finished disgusted straightening up. This seemed to cost him a huge amount of effort. He swayed dangerously again but stayed standing. "You need to get some place warm" Ray told him sternly grabbing his icy arm and starting to march him up the bank. Kai didn't resist.

As they walked rays stomach churned. He had never been this close to kai before; their mysterious team captain had always kept to himself, he wondered if Kai had ever confided in any one. _Has he always been alone?_ Kai stumbled on the wet grass up the rivers bank. Ray caught him, their faces intimately close. His heart leapt uncomfortably suddenly thinking how beautiful Kais dual coloured hair looked in the moonlight, still sparkling with water as bright and silvery as the stars above. A rustle behind him brought him sharply back to earth. The others blundered along behind him. Being a Neko-jin ray could see exceptionally well in the dark. Pushing his tangled emotions aside he led the way onto the street, the moon now shining so brightly they hardly needed the lamps hanging over them. Relief flooded through him; although they weren't much nearer helping Kai than they had been, human civilization was always a welcoming sight to see.

The group made their way painfully slowly through the deserted town, Kai only throwing up occasionally. His wounds were still bleeding heavily. Soon Ray's pristine white shirt was covered in a lattice work of deep crimson. As they neared their destination Kai's condition seemed to worsen, on the verge of passing out he was leaning practically all his weight on Ray, and being the shorter and weaker of the two Ray could hardly hold him up. Feeling him convulse again Ray winced as he felt sick splatter his jet black hair, running down the back of his neck. Helping Kai was taking its toll on his strength. He attempted to speed up sensing they were running out of time. With out warning Kai totally collapsed upon him. Ray staggered over and collided solidly with the wall just out side Tyson's home, Kai sprawled over him. Even through the world spinning around him in pain Ray found thoughts rush unbidden again through his mind _this feels so comfortable_. Kais body beside his, moulding perfectly, like they were made for each other. With no desire to get up, his mission forgotten; Ray lay partially stunned by the blow on the chilled, hard pavement; completely tuned out to Max and Hilary yelling at him to get up and save Kai.


	3. Chapter 3

**A lifted Burden**

Tyson's grandpa was worried. His grand son and Kai had been gone for hours. When the others had gone out to look for them, it had taken all his self control not to follow them. Now sitting alone against the wall of his Dojo with a cup of strong herbal tea he attempted to rid his mind of the thoughts that something had gone wrong. Every one had been gone far too long. Grandpa silently cursed himself for not giving them his mobile so they could contact him. Suddenly he heard shouting from out side. Relieved he leapt up recognising the voice. _Boy that Hilary sure does make a good homecomin' alarm! _But his former fears were soon restored as he heard Max's voice in the din. Grandpa couldn't imagine any other scenario where they would both be yelling in unison with each other in an argument without Tyson unless something had gone wrong. Grandpa slipped on his shoes as fast as he could and sprinted out into the night.

He found them right out side his gate. Panic leapt through the old man when he saw two people on the floor. Rushing past Hilary and Max (both shut up instantly in surprise) He lifted Kai up bridal style, with relative ease and, seeing Ray wasn't hurt, made his hampered way back up the garden path.

Ray awoke to find himself alone on the damp pavement outside Tyson's house. When kai had been lifted off him he had simply stayed there, too exhausted to move and had eventually drifted off in the quiet of the night. He now found himself unbearably stiff and cold; reeking of vomit. He got up slowly. He had no idea how much time had passed. Hating the others for leaving him there Ray hobbled up the path, tracing the footsteps of Grandpa, Max and Hilary. Once in the house he heard voices. Going grumpily into the warm, bright Dojo he found the others all sitting on the wooden floor with piping mugs of hot chocolate in the middle of telling Grandpa what happened without him. Rays anger towards them disappeared however when he saw a still steaming mug sitting on the arm of a sofa solely for him. The three seater had been dragged in from the living room to serve as a makeshift bed for Kai who lay still as stone under layers of blankets.

Ray turned as he heard fast footsteps approaching behind him. Kenny shot down the stairs almost bowling him over in panic. "What happened! What happened?" he yelled wildly staring at the seemingly asleep Kai on the sofa to the others sitting on the floor, and finally at the dishevelled, blood soaked ray in front of him. Kenny let out a gasp and sat down a little too quickly on the floor at rays' feet. The others broke off and watched him curiously as he rocked back and forth, legs crossed and hugged up to his chest. He seemed to be considering what to say. Eventually he stood up again and, carefully side stepping Ray, addressed grandpa "umm… what's going on?" Confused at these antics Ray interrupted and, putting a hand on the younger boys shoulder, spoke indignantly to Kenny "Hey what's wrong with talking to me?" The young nerd blushed and turned away muttering something about dark red. Every one stared in bewildered quiet. Then it hit ray, "you don't like blood do you?" he asked grinning mischievously. Silence. Kenny shuffled his feet. "What! But…why suddenly now?" Max piped up curiously "I mean you've seen it plenty of times before like in the Russian tournament when ray faced Bryan-(Ray glared at him)-and when Kai and Tyson fought in the world finals ect ect ect…

"Yeah, well it's not the amount I'm scared of…" Kenny started, talking determinedly to the ceiling, "It's the colour. All that blood was…well, a lighter shade of red than… this stuff on ray's shirt and a lighter colour means the wounds aren't as serious" Ray scoffed at this: "Well they sure still hurt like hell"

"That's because there were a lot of them" Max consoled him, signalling for Kenny to continue "…This blood is…dark…whose ever it is… and it can't be Rays or he wouldn't be standing…is in serious trouble." A terrified silence shook the group.

Suddenly the blankets rustled behind them and a quiet, familiar gruff voice filled with sarcasm spoke "Thanks for that pessimistic little speech chief I feel like I'm gonna live now…" everyone turned and gasped at these words as they witnessed Kai attempting to sit up. Pain etched in his face as they saw a line of deep crimson liquid seep through his shirt "Dark blood like that…" Kenny's voice turned shrill with horror. "NO! Kai!" The others crowded Kai ushering him to lie down and "Take it easy!" Grandpa ordered him over the hubbub. "Yo! The doctor will be here soon chill out!"

"I don't need a doctor" Kai snarled as the others scampered out of his way. Grandpa advanced with an air of fierce authority. Towering over Kai as he continued his attempts to rise "Yo! Now you listen here ma man!" He barked at the boy suddenly losing his temper. Kai death glared up at him. The others falling silent in shock, it normally took a lot to make Grandpa properly angry. "You can snub me all ya want when it comes to Beyblading, hell, I don't care much for the sport…kids stuff if you ask me, BUT when it comes to peeps gettin hurt then _I'm_ in charge got it! Now I don't want a word o complaint outta you. These guys have been working hard to keep you alive boy!" he gestured to the group "an I don't want you being a stubborn jackass and hurtin yourself more cos it won't do ya any favours alright!"

It was the first time in living memory Kai didn't have a witty comeback. (OMG!) He simply continued to glare at Grandpa from his sideways position of being propped up on one elbow and gave a disgusted "Hn…" of acknowledgement. The old man turned his back and went to the kitchen where they heard him clattering around presumably making more tea to calm himself down. After a few moments of quiet, no one looking at each other, Kai let out a groan clutching his side he rolled onto his back gave a shudder and lay still. The others chorused his name in alarm, rushing to his side. Somehow ray got their first. He knelt beside his team leader watching him intently of signs of life. Their faces so close they were almost touching _What if I were to kiss Kai right now?_ The question popped up so quickly in his mind ray didn't have time to banish it. _His face looks so taunt and stretched with pain it doesn't seem right. If I could end that pain…I wonder what it would be like…a kiss…from another boy…_

"Ray what's wrong with him!" Hilary cried startling him, evidently taking his silence to be grave. "Wha- uh nothing" he stuttered in surprise "I mean well… he's breathing" Ray said recovering himself. One of Kais chocolate brown eyes cracked open slightly "What" he said weakly "so I'm too hurt to be allowed to sleep now?" he murmured irritably. His voice shook uncharacteristically, betraying how he really felt.

Ray sensed it. "You're afraid" he whispered once the others had gone back to chatting quietly. Kai made no reaction, eyes remaining closed. "You're afraid that you will die and people will forget you even existed. You want to make your mark on this world before you pass on don't you…? Ray asked quietly remembering his own feelings when he lay in the hospital bed after facing Bryan. "Your life hadn't finished but it feels like it is already over. You…don't want to leave yet." Ray paused then continued more affirmatively "And you should still have some time. It's had all slipped past so quickly hasn't it? …Feels it was over before it had really begun." Ray sighed "Why is life so _unfair_?" he finished more to himself than Kai. Suddenly he heard a loud sniff from behind him and twisted round on his knees to see Max sitting cross legged on the floor just behind him, tears coursing down his cheeks. "Ray" he choked through the sobs "that's…beautiful." Ray could have hit him and he would have done right there and then if the door bell hadn't intervened.

_Those words were meant for Kai and Kai alone! No one else should have heard them!_ Ray seethed with uncharacteristic anger as he went to the door. He opened it to a short, round man, reminding him forcibly of a younger Mr. Dickenson with very slick, shiny black hair and a large moustache that looked as though it was made of wax (Like Poirot). He donned a white lab coat and a black suit underneath. Ray took an instant disliking to this man. He seemed to ooze deceit and had "Bad guy" written all over him. It was with caution Ray let him into the house when he announced he was the doctor. He bustled in and knelt down next to Kai as Ray had done, seconds before. The Chinese teen hissed as sudden jealousy erupted in his chest. After listening to a long winded explanation of the nights events from grandpa the man introduced himself as Dr. B. Every one was immediately on their guard. They huddled in a group in front of the motionless Kai as the intruder examined him. He felt his pulse, looked in his eyes and ears with a light. Kai didn't seem to object. He stayed still as the doctor probed him. Finally the man stood up. "Well I can't see any thing wrong with this young man other than the fact he is wet and cold and has some severe perforations to the skin but nothing on the whole that his own body can't handle. Though I may suggest you bind the cuts…"

Every one stared at him in shocked silence as he announced his verdict. Dr B turned to leave. With out warning Kai rolled onto his side, almost falling off the sofa and began to cough. They were long and rasping as though he was trying to clear his insides out. The liquid and mucus rattling and bubbling with every laboured breath he took. The Dr whirled back alarmed and watched the choking boy intently as the others crowded him again. Suddenly Kai let out some thing between a scream and a moan and threw up spectacularly on the floor, yet more of the putrid smelling black porridge with bits in. "Good lord!" the man exclaimed "How much water has this boy swallowed!" No one answered. He bustled back to Kai as he attempted yet again to get up off the sofa. The Dr Put a hand on his shoulder and tried to push him back down gently saying that he shouldn't over exert himself. Kai pulled back gasping "Get away from me you creep!" with a surge of effort dragged himself to his feet and staggered over to the corner of the room, supporting himself by a wall "I told you" he growled loudly backing away eyes feverishly small, his voice rising with every syllable "I don't need a DOCTOR!" he yelled suddenly, eyes wide, sinking to the floor. Sobs racked his tattered body "no one can help me, I can't have…help." He broke down crying quieter until he was heard no more. One of the longest silences Hilary had ever known fell on the room. All were dumbstruck at this out burst. Kai the cold, distant captain of the Blade breakers was weeping like a child on the floor in front of them… "Kai…" Hilary stepped forward, trying to dispel her astonishment and knelt beside him crooning quietly "it's ok…your safe with us…every one has to cry sometimes…" The Dr spoke up loudly again "We must get this young man to a hospital at once! He cannot stay here. He needs medical attention and maybe a therapist…" he carried on obnoxiously unaware of the death glares he was now receiving from all the teens around him.

Despite their objections the team hid their surfacing worries and allowed Kai to be driven alone in the doctors' sleek car to the hospital since they couldn't decide who would go. They crowded into grandpa's old blue banger and followed anxiously; each harbouring their own fears and doubts about the situation. Rays mind was a flurry of emotions; he stared determinedly out of the window gazing unblinking at the blur of street lamps flashing past until his eyes began to water. Why were these feelings coming now? Was it because they had almost lost Kai and Ray suddenly realized just how much he would miss him if he went? Or was it just a passing phase? Ray sighed rubbing his temples trying to ease the dull ache that had risen in his head. He felt a hand press comfortingly on his shoulder and heard the unmistakeable sniff of Hilary beside him.

Hilary was worried, she had been worrying a lot lately; about her weight, her health, the teams bonds; but right now she was worried about Kai. He always had appeared so strong to her. She had always thought that he was the one that really held the team together, even when he had betrayed them he would always return and the Blade breakers would come back more powerful than ever before. Seeing him in that weakened state had made her almost want to cry along with him. Hilary and Kai had never really got beyond friendship, if you could even call it that. Kai had distanced himself from everyone and Hilary had been entranced by this man of mystery, always wanting to find out his inner thoughts, discover what he really felt about the world. She knew it was tearing her friends up inside as well to see him like this. She moved closer to ray putting a comforting arm around him. Max watched silently from the other side of the car. Huddled up against the cold hard window he felt the tears well up again. He and Kai had never really been the best of pals but he had respect for the reclusive boy and sometimes, in a flicker of an instant he could have sworn he saw a flash of the same respect in Kai's own eyes in return. An empty feeling of confusion and shock had decided to stir up his stomach. Feeling slightly queasy Max kept reliving the moment when they had met Tyson in the street. He had been so unlike himself. The Tyson he knew would never desert a friend in trouble, Mr Sourpuss or not! Reaching an unspoken conclusion that it hadn't been Tyson they had met Max sat up straighter. He had to be strong. Putting an arm round the still snivelling Kenny Max vowed to find out the truth. The banger finally pulled up outside the local hospital about a good ten minutes behind the doctor's car. Every one piled out into the oddly cold air again and walked quickly into the neon lit waiting room.

An anxious, nerve twitching wait ensued. The first soft and bouncy chairs of the tediously quiet waiting room soon became itchy and impossible to get comfortable on. Several hours later disgruntled tired blade breakers littered the room as light began to slowly tinge the purple sky out side. Shouting, fast increasing in volume and loud crashes could presently be heard. They all leapt up. Bedraggled and grumpy from lack of sleep the team did their best to look prepared for what ever was coming towards the door on the other side, but nothing could have prepared them for what came next. The crescendo of noise reached a peak with doctors yelling in the din. A clattering of trolleys and grunts of annoyance blared through the closed white door. The sound of bear feet slapping hard on the floor of the main hospital block came closer… Like a bolt of lightning the door crashed open as a figure came leaping through it. The topless boy clad in familiar blue trousers halted. The Blade breakers stopped. The whole scene froze.

"HOW CAN MY GRANDSON BE ALIVE?" Voltaire roared furiously, spraying Boris with spit. "Our agent claimed he saw him drown!"

"the…the bit beasts" the inferior gasped in fright "they have mysterious powers…you never know-"

"I DON'T CARE ABOUT BIT BEASTS ANYMORE I WANT THE BLADE BREAKERS DEAD!" The millionaire screamed. Boris bowed and backed hastily from the room. This time he would help the agent complete his task. Failure was not an option again.

"Kai?" A flurry of movement as everything started up again. "Oh my god Kai it's really you!" The team rushed forwards to their leader still frozen in shock.

A strange look …was it relief? Came over Their team captain's face, He strode sedately up to the tight knit group, all breathless with shock. "What am I doing here?" It was a simple question, Stated with none of his usual harshness. He frowned slightly at his friends, their bug eyed orbs stared back. Hilary spoke up shakily "you mean you don't remember…anything?" Kai fixed her with a piercing chocolate gaze. "I remember who I am Hilary but what was I doing last night?" He fixed each of them in turn with a strong gaze. All looked down. "And how did I sustain these?" Kai examined his own body. Scars ran down the length of his pale skin. Hilary felt an ecstatic shiver tingle down her spine. God he was so fit! Unknown to her someone else was thinking the same thing. Ray gawped at the Russians perfect body. The scars had healed over night by the looks of it and much to the duos fury Kenny strode up without so much as batting an eyelid and inspected his elder's skin. Kai stiffened as the boy approached. "This is astounding" the nerd stuttered "your external membrane has incredible regenerative abilities; the fibrinogen seems to form at an accelerated rate and the deep perforations have completely healed over night!" The rest of the team goggled at him, Infatuations temporarily forgotten. "Great" Kai sighed exasperatedly "Now in English four eyes" Kenny stuttered in humiliation blushing beetroot. Hilary found her heart go out to another, well he was rather cute in a nerdy, vulnerable sort of way… Max cut in glaring coldly at Kais unnecessary insult "I think he means, _Kai _that you've healed very quickly from your wounds." Kai nodded curtly staring deep into the icy blue eyes. "Max?" Still locked in a stare the other boy nodded. Kais question hung in the air for a moment. "Can I get something to eat?" Everyone crashed to the ground, sweat dropping at this comment. Ray rose whistling "wow the great Kai Hiwatari is actually hungry? I thought he lived off black coffee!" Sending another glare to the joking Neko-jin, Kai followed his team to the canteen.


	4. Chapter 4

**Riverside showdown**

After a hearty breakfast the team trooped out into the now mid morning hours, leaving Mr D and Gramps trying desperately to explain the mystery to a hoard of disgruntled doctors.

In an alien silence the team-minus-one began to pick their way slowly back across the town, none summoning the courage to ask Kai about the night before or discuss the prior events. The captain was now clad casually in a crisp white shirt from the hospital. It remained untucked at his waist flapping gently in the breeze as they walked, and low at the neck, just revealing his well tones chest still lined with scars.

Finally they stopped under a bridge… _the_ bridge. In an unspoken agreement all had been driven by a burning curiosity to revisit the place of their fears.  
The group stood silently on the bank, a cool breeze rustling the grasses, the sun deceptively bright in the high azure sky. Kai stared at the clear, fast flowing water. His mind was in turmoil, snatches of memories had been resurfacing from the night before, none particularly pleasant, the storm and the battle, the haunting moment of Tyson's laughter at his pain. Sure he had finally won but it didn't feel anything like a victory... The others kept their peace beside him as though nothing was wrong, but, everything was wrong! Kai ground his teeth in frustration. What had really happened? He turned to the others, hunched in a group, watching him as though he had some infectious disease. Finally he asked the question, eyes blazing in anger and frustrated curiosity "_tell_ me!" He took a step forward; the others shrank back "tell me what happened last night." The river flowed strongly past as the group maintained silence.

Kai returned to look at the water with a suppressed shudder, waiting. Hilary spoke first; in a quiet voice, so unlike her own. "Kai…you…" she paused and held back a sob, looked down and clenched her fist determined not to cry. Ray continued for her in a similarly small voice "Kai you died…last night…you drowned…"

Kai looked up quickly; a searching gaze into the Chinese teen's eyes. He was telling the truth…Kai's stare returned to the river. "…Where? Show me" He commanded, glared intensely into the water, biting back frustration now born from confusion. Max sighed to break the tension and began to make his way down the bank as nonchalantly as though he was showing them a good spot for fishing "This way…"

"This is where it happened…" The blond arrived at a strange pool, surrounded oddly by shredded up mud, and indicated to its depths. A quick intake of breath from kai revealed he knew. He remembered. The debris had settled like a carpet at the bottom, the water still oddly clear. "I-" max swallowed tentatively, suddenly unsure whether he should be saying this "We met T- Tyson on the street on the way here to find you. He seemed so…. unnatural…" Max said now trying to hold back tears at the thought of his old friend turning on them like this. Kai turned coldly to him "where did he go?" His still impassive brown eyes met the blonds swimming blue oceans. "I don't know" Max whispered. He sounded defeated, broken. Hilary moved closer to him and put an arm reassuringly round his shoulder. He was the closest to Tyson; naturally he was going to be affected most. "C'mon lets go for a walk" Ray suggested quietly. He knew getting the others away from here was the best option right now. They all trooped silently away.

Sitting back on the grass a few metres away from the shadow of the bridge, the team fell into a brooding silence. The shadow of the bridge lengthened as the day slowly drained away.

The sun, still bright, was sinking level with the railings on top. Kai picked a scab idly; mind half set on unscrambling his thoughts of the night before. He had a twisted feeling in his gut that there was something of vital importance that he had forgotten. Sighing he rolled over on to his stomach. Nearest to the river he was grateful for the others to leave him alone with his thoughts.

They sat in a group near the top. They were watching him carefully. He knew it. But if they thought he would give anything away to them…well- Kai pulled a handful of grass out by the roots, shredding it methodically and lacing bits through his fingertips- They were mistaken.

As the sun descended slowly into a rosy bed of clouds, the team were still lost in their own thoughts, each glad of the silent company of the others around them. Sitting closest to the bridge, Max was now in its shadow. He watched from one side of his cold barrier at the others still sitting in the sun. Since yesterday he felt isolated from them. Even Hilary's arm round him earlier had failed to cure the blonde's deep seated feeling of unreality at the whole series of events. Max stared at the shadow of the bridge infront of him, watching the sharp lines of the rails rippling outwards on the grass, waiting for another car to pass and make then vanish, if only for a few seconds, in its own shade. The murmur of a vehicle slowly detached itself from the hum of the city around them, rattling over the bridge; max watched its shadow sweep past the railings, hiding them chunk by chunk, and waited for it to pass. But, to his surprise, the driver cut the engine.

The long shadow told him it was a van; it had stopped just above him. Max became alert. A door slid open. In curiosity Max crawled out from the shadow. A cool unseasonable breeze had suddenly sprung up. Shading his eyes with a hand Max looked up towards the van parked on the bridge. A figure stepped into view. The breeze manifested to become a sudden, strong wind. The others were now all looking up as the figure walked forward to blot out the sun. "TYSON!" recognition sparkled in Max's eyes. Maybe he had come to work it all out, apologise, and explain. Max leapt to his feet, preparing to run up the grass bank and round onto the bridge to meet his friend. The others were silent. Their gazed spiked with mistrust. Max caught on suddenly. The wind picked up. The thoughts of greeting withered in his head. Tyson leaned over the railings in a strangely cocky and dominant pose. In the ensuing silence the sun sunk lower, Tyson was now framed by the bright sky, every feature sharply accented in the light. The harder Max stared, the less he was sure what he was seeing was his friend. Tyson looked insane: there was an unnerving gleam in his eyes; the pupils so small it almost seemed as though only the whites of his eyes were staring glassily at them; a crooked, thin smile played on his oddly curled lips and there were bags under his eyes and creases on his skin as though he had aged tremendously but still retained the body of a teenager.

"Kai!" He barked suddenly, eyes growing rounder as though to swallow the dual haired blader in his gaze, he now looked truly frightening. The Russian didn't flinch. "What do you want Tyson?!" Kai yelled up to him, stepping forward but still well aware that height gave Tyson the tactical advantage if he chose to launch his blade…

"This is for _YOU_!" The last word cracked in Tyson's throat as it tore from his mouth with every ounce of contempt, fury and twisted triumph he could summon. His hand slid unwavering into his pocket and pulled out a gun. Without hesitating Tyson aimed it straight at Kai.

Max's mind had gone numb. A slow though ran in useless circles in his head: _Why is Tyson pointing a gun at Kai?!_ Suddenly aware that the others had likewise frozen behind him Max realised he had to do something. If he didn't move, Kai was going to die. This whole thing had twisted to some horrifying shape far out of the reality Max used to know. And he knew without a doubt, looking into the eyes of that _thing_, that it wasn't the Tyson he knew, and that it wouldn't hesitate to kill Kai. Max's feet moved without him having to command them. Some subconscious desire to save his friend and show how much Kai meant to him, made the blond rush to stand infront of the frozen boy. He heard Kai's sharp intake of breath behind him, hear Ray's gasp of "no…Max!" and what sounded like a stifled sob from Hilary.

The Tyson-like figure stared at Max with incomprehension at first, then as though his was something revolting that he wanted to forget.

"Get out of the way" Tyson readjusted his aim to Max. Almost as though the gun had a searing hot laser sight, Max could feel the bullet aiming for his heart. Voice audibly shaking he replied "No, _Tyson_" The boy on the bridge flinched at his name. Recovering he sneered, face distorted with the utmost malice and hatred, voice grating "Then you won't leave this place alive!"

Max couldn't help but gasp as true fear hit him. Suddenly he was shaking almost to the point of collapsing, lines of fresh sweat ran over his skin like worms and he felt the world spin as the blood rushed from his head, leaving his face pale, as though he had already died. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Tyson's. The gazes of trembling oceanic blue and brown, off colour as though there was something rotting behind Tyson's eyes clashed and locked tightly. Max had never been able to look away from those eyes, and as his weakness came again Max knew it would be the death of him.

Suddenly the world snapped into action. Max dimly heard a feral roar from behind him "NOOO!" Somehow he knew it was Ray. Tyson's smile widened into a sick grin as, an instant later, he pulled the trigger. The gun recoiled. There was a deafening _Crack_! Smoke shifted easily from the gun muzzle and was taken, drifting dreamily away into the sunset sky. And Max could only watch numbly as the world slid sideways and clouded into darkness.

**Ok its kinda short…and I wish people had given this story more of a chance cos it will get better…****once Link is involved obviously b but bear with it, don't worry Link will show up in the next chapters…or more like Kai will meet Link…so keep reading! (and reviewing ******** cos I do love reviews! )**


End file.
